This invention generally relates to face masks, and more specifically, to face masks used in clean rooms, medical facilities, and so forth.
Disposable and non-disposable face masks have been in use for many years. In the medical field, many early masks were used to prevent contamination and resulting infection of patients, particularly during surgery. In recent years, there has also been an increased awareness and concern for preventing contamination and infection of health care personnel by airborne pathogens, such as the hepatitis B virus. Therefore, it has become necessary to both prevent the spread of infections from patients to health care personnel as well as prevent the spread of infections from health care personnel to patients by inhalation of airborne infectious aerosols and/or particulate matter, or by contamination of a wound or surgical incision by airborne infectious aerosols and/or particulate matter. It has become even more important in view of the advent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the recent increase in infectious tuberculosis associated with many HIV patients. Accordingly, it is necessary to prevent body fluids, aerosols and/or particulate matter from a person's eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and so forth, from contacting others, to prevent the spread of disease(s).
Aerosols having airborne liquid and, at times solid particles are generated not only by exhalation, but also by certain procedural manipulations and processes that impart energy to any liquid or microbial suspension. By way of example, surgical procedures involving use of drills and saws are particularly prolific producers of aerosols and/or particles which may contain pathogens which infect health care personnel. Patients with compromised and/or suppressed autoimmune systems, as well as patients having open wounds or a surgical incision, must likewise be protected from pathogens which may be spread by aerosols, particulate matter, and so forth, from health care personnel.
Face masks cover a health care personnel's (hereinafter “wearer” or “wearer's”) nose and mouth, but not the remaining portion of the wearer's face, i.e., checks, jaw, ears, and so forth. If aerosols and/or particulate matter contact these unprotected areas of the wearer's face, the wearer may be contaminated by such aerosols and/or particulate matter if they contact small cuts, such as shaving nicks, and so forth. On the other hand, facial hair and skin on a wearer's cheeks and jaw are exposed, as are the wearer's ears. A wearer's checks, jaws, and ears, however, have hair, flakes of skin, and so forth that may be shed from the wearer, resulting in potential contamination to a patient, especially to a wound or surgical incision. Moreover, if a wearer sneezes while wearing a traditionally available face mask covering only the nose and mouth, a portion of the expelled aerosol and/or particulate matter from the sneeze emerges from the sides of the face mask. Therefore, a face mask having side panels which extend over the wearer's cheeks, jaw, and ears would be desirable to substantially cover these areas to reduce or eliminate contamination to both patients and health care personnel.